Sapphires
by BlackStormNomad
Summary: **FIRST 3 CHAPTERS EDITED!** Full summary inside.
1. Prologue

**Hi guys! So I've finally gotten around to editing my CSI: Miami story. It was originally called "Wolfe on the Spot", as some of you may recall. After quite a long time of taking a break, I have edited the first three chapters, as well as the title. Without further ado, here is the revised edition of "Wolfe on the Spot", now called "Sapphires"!**

_Summary: When her mother is brutally murdered, seventeen-year-old Zoey Stevens feels like she is left to fend for herself and her six-year-old sister… until Ryan ends up being involved in the case, willing to protect the girls. Meanwhile, Horatio gets a surprise visit from Kyle, who takes a shine to Zoey. With the drama of Ryan being a parent and the twists in the case, will Zoey ever be able to handle her newfound life?_

Prologue

"M… Mom! NO!"

A seventeen-year-old girl stared down at her mother in horror. The older woman was jerking violently on the pale beige carpet in their living room. Her breathing came out raspy. The teenager's dark blue eyes widened as a thick red liquid continued to flow out from multiple places in her mother's body.

Blood. And so much of it.

The teenager gagged and stumbled backwards. Her eyes managed to tear themselves away from her mother's body and fix themselves on the home phone. Then she remembered that her cell phone was in the pocket on the front of her dress. Frantically, she dug it out and punched in two numbers. Her heart pounded and her hand shook as she held the phone up to her ear.

"_9-1-1, what is your emergency?" _a female voice asked.

"My mom is bleeding all over the place, and I heard a gunshot!" the teen gasped.

"_All right, sweetheart, stay on the line. I'm pulling up your location and sending an ambulance over,"_ the woman replied.

"O-Okay…"

She forced herself to take another look at her mother's bloody body. The older woman had stopped twitching and was now very still. Her eyes were wide open, but not blinking. Tears began to gather in the teen's blue eyes as she realized that her mother was gone. She drew in a very shaky breath and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that it was all a dream. Hoping that her mother would wake up and be taken to the hospital. Hoping that her mother would live. When the tears escaped, however, she knew that there was no going back to normalcy. Reluctantly, she turned her back on the scene and went outside to wait for the ambulance.

**-XxXxX-**

Ryan Wolfe did NOT appreciated early morning phone calls.

Such was the case that morning. He had been in content slumber, dreaming about the huge celebration with his team the previous night, when his cell phone went off. It rang quite loudly, causing him to wake with a start and a few choice words. Glaring at the device, he picked it up and answered it.

"This is Wolfe," he mumbled with a yawn.

"_Mr. Wolfe. I assumed that you were off in another world," _a deeply familiar voice said in amusement.

Despite his tired state, Ryan managed a brief smile. "Good morning, H."

"_I don't mean to intrude on your slumber, but we need you right now," _Horatio Caine said seriously.

Ryan sat up and stretched. "What do we have?"

"_A distressed 9-1-1 call from a seventeen-year-old girl, stating that her mother was bleeding and there had been a gunshot. Calleigh, Walter, and myself are already at the scene, but we could use an extra pair of hands," _the lieutenant replied.

"Sure. Give me the address, and I'll be there," Ryan said as he grabbed a piece of paper and a pen.

Horatio reeled off the address. Ryan wrote it down absently and thanked his friend before hanging up. He stood up and went into his closet to change. He decided to wear light blue jeans, a blue and white striped shirt, a black jean jacket, and black dress shoes. As he stepped out of the closet, he ran his fingers through his short brown hair and glanced at the written address.

He blinked. "Wait a minute…"

The frowning CSI picked up the notepad and scrutinized the address closely. It seemed very familiar somehow. He tapped his chin with his index finger while his eyebrows crumpled together in deep thought.

Suddenly, his eyes fell upon a photo sitting on his dresser. It was of a man, a woman, and two girls. The man had auburn hair and brown eyes, as did the youngest girl. The woman and the eldest girl, however, had dark brown hair and eyes like sapphires. Then a distant memory flashed before his eyes: the woman standing in an elegantly set living room, laughing and holding a glass of wine out to him, while the eldest girl sat on a cream sofa off to the side. In her hands was a green-furred, blue-eyed teddy bear that he had bought for her.

_Oh… God…_ he thought as his eyes widened.

Without hesitation, he dropped the notepad and bolted out to his car.

**-XxXxX-**

"It feels like it should be Saturday," Walter Simmons yawned as he stepped out of the CSI Hummer with his kit in hand.

Calleigh Duquesne chuckled as she started walking beside him. "It's all part of the job, Walter. You know that."

"Yeah, yeah…" Walter mumbled.

The two made their way over to Horatio, who was waiting patiently. "I spoke to Mr. Wolfe. He will be joining us."

"Should we wait for him? I think his house isn't far from here," Calleigh mused.

Horatio nodded. Walter grinned. "Did you wake him up? He was pretty out of it last night."

"From the sounds of it, yes," Horatio replied with a small smile of his own.

Calleigh smiled briefly before setting her kit down and focusing on the glamorous three-story house. "This place is gorgeous. What happened, exactly?"

"9-1-1 received a distressed call from a young female, saying that her mother was bleeding and she had heard a gunshot," the lieutenant said as he watched the road.

"Did she say anything else?" Walter asked.

"Nothing that I've heard… here comes Mr. Wolfe," Horatio said.

The other two turned their attention to the road. Sure enough, Ryan was pulling up by the mailbox. They watched as he practically jumped out of the car with his kit in hand and walked up the driveway to the garage.

"Hey guys," he said breathless as he caught up to them.

He was greeted with smiles. He turned to Horatio and shifted a bit. "Um… mind if I go in first?"

With silent confusion, the lieutenant stepped to the side. Ryan gave him a grateful smile and went into the house. The others quickly followed. They were led into the front entrance, where Ryan paused and swallowed. The paramedics were already in the living room, trying to avoid a large pool of blood. They were lifting a body bag onto a stretcher. Behind them, a teenage girl with soft-looking, shoulder-length brown hair and dark blue eyes was standing and watching silently. She was wearing a light brown sundress with ruffles on the skirt and the sleeves, a small white jacket, and white sandals. She held an arrangement of keys in one hand and a cell phone in the other.

She looked up to find Ryan staring at her. Her eyes widened a little as they examined him from head to toe. She stepped to the side as he and the others came into the room. Calleigh and Walter went over to the body bag while Horatio went to talk to Tom Loman, the medical examiner. Ryan stayed put for a few seconds before walking over to the teenager. She stared up at him with tearful blue eyes.

"Mr. Wolfe… U-Uncle Ryan," she choked out before throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his shirt.

Ignoring the sudden looks of surprise from the others, Ryan smiled slightly and embraced her. He gently ruffled her hair and whispered a greeting. What the others heard shocked them.

"Hey, Zoey…"

**A/N: Phew, finally that's finished. Not too much changed in this chapter, other than the girl's name from Aliana to Zoey and some extra lines/description. After this, there will be more changes. So R&R!**


	2. Meeting Zoey

**Yay! Chapter One time! C: I like making progress. Considering how lazy I am, it feels good. :D oh, and I forgot. I don't own the CSI: Miami crew. Just Zoey, her mother, and some characters that will appear later on.**

Chapter One

"Mr. Wolfe," Horatio said quietly.

The young CSI bowed his head slightly before turning to the ginger-haired lieutenant. Calleigh and Walter were staring at him quizzically, but he decided to avoid looking at them. He could feel Zoey's gaze practically burning through his back, though.

"Yeah, H?" he asked sheepishly.

"Do you know this young woman?" Horatio queried with a somewhat stern gaze.

Ryan nodded hesitantly. "Yeah. This is Zoey Stevens. The body is her mother, Tanya."

"Relatives of yours? She called you 'Uncle Ryan'," Walter said with amusement.

Ryan shook his head. "Sort of… Tanya was a very good friend of mine. We used to have drinks together, and she would ask me to mind Zoey when she needed someone to babysit her."

"When was the last time you saw them?" Calleigh asked softly.

It was not Ryan who answered this, because Zoey stepped forward. Her sapphire eyes were sparkling with memories. "Mr. Wolfe hasn't been over here in quite a while… a year, I think. He and my mom had a disagreement the last time he was here."

Ryan smiled softly. "That was the last time that I saw your mother, though… the last time that I saw you was almost three years."

The others blinked. Zoey nodded shyly. "I was living in France with my father before he… died…"

Now it was Ryan's turn to blink. "Oliver… Zoey, he's dead…?"

She nodded again. Tears began to replace the memories in her eyes. "We were attacked when we were getting ready to come home… he s-shielded me from a... a g-gun…"

"Shh, shh…" Ryan drew the now-crying teenager into a close, almost protective embrace. "It's okay…"

Zoey pressed the side of her face against his shirt. She squeezed her eyes shut in hopes of stopping the waterfall. When she found it pointless, she drew in a shaky breath and just continued to cry. Ryan held her close while running his hand through her hair. Then he patted her back and rested his chin on her head.

"Miss Stevens," Calleigh finally said to break the embrace.

The teenager pulled away and looked over at the CSI in a way that indicated that she had never been addressed that way. Calleigh smiled. "Zoey, we're going to have to take you downtown for further questioning."

Zoey nodded as she sat down on a wooden chair. "Of course…"

Horatio finally stepped forward. He stopped in front of Zoey and knelt down to her level, smiling gently. She stared at the lieutenant with wide and teary eyes as he fiddled with his sunglasses. After a few seconds, he looked directly at her and spoke.

"Zoey… we're going to find out who did this to your mother. I promise," he said assuringly.

Ryan cleared his throat. "H, I'll take her back to the station."

"I'll go with you. There are a few things that we need to discuss," the lieutenant said quietly.

Ryan winced. Horatio turned to Calleigh and Walter. "Will you two be all right here? Or shall I send for Natalia or Eric?"

"We'll be fine, H," Calleigh smiled as she turned to the pool of blood.

Horatio nodded to the paramedics, who had come back into the room, before following Ryan and Zoey out to the front yard. The teenager went over to a navy four-cab truck in the driveway and paused as she glanced over at the two men. Ryan smiled as he came over and patted the hood of the vehicle.

"I see your mom finally got you your dream car, hmm?" he teased fondly.

Despite the situation that was still haunting her mind, Zoey giggled. "I've been a proud owner for almost a year."

"Do you want to take your car? I mean, we can if you want to," he smiled.

The teenager stole a glance at Horatio, who chuckled, and then glanced at the car that Ryan had driven over in. "Are you sure? What about your car?"

The CSI waved a hand dismissively. "It'll be here when we get back."

"O…Okay… if that's all right," she blushed with another glance at Horatio.

The lieutenant nodded as he started walking towards his CSI Hummer. "Go ahead. Just be quick."

"Thanks, H!" Ryan called.

He was given a wave in return. The two then watched as the car drove off into the Miami morning sun and vanished from sight. Then the brown-haired CSI gave the teenager an affectionate nudge with his wrist.

"Shotgun?" he grinned.

Zoey giggled again. "I'm driving. It's my car, and I don't trust anyone else at the wheel."

Chuckling, Ryan went over to the passenger's side and opened the door. He was somewhat impressed by the interior, which was composed of sleek black leather seats and dark grey floors. There was some clutter in the back, including a faux fur jacket, a grey and black Gia Milani bag with sleek leather straps **(A/N: I have said bag XD)**, several pair of flip-flops, and a dark blue laptop case. The mats up front looked very clean, as if they had hardly ever seen the dirty soles of shoes.

"You must not give a lot of rides to people," he noted as Zoey hopped into the driver's seat.

Her hand, which had just stuck the key into the ignition, paused. "How'd you know?"

"These mats are very clean," Ryan replied with a grin.

She smiled as she turned the key. "You're right, as usual. The only people that I've given a ride to are Mom, my friend Jen, and my boyfriend Tyler."

The CSI did visual double-take as the teenager began backing out of the driveway. "You have a boyfriend? You, Zoey Stevens, the girl who told me four years ago that she wanted nothing to do with boys EVER because they sucked and because she was a strong, independent woman… you have a boyfriend?"

Zoey was cracking up as she began driving down the road. "Yes, I have a boyfriend. People change, Ryan."

"I'll say," he countered, "You're not the same pale, chubby, glasses-wearing, skirt-obsessed pre-teen that I remember."

"Hey, I wasn't pale or chubby!" she protested.

He laughed. "I have pictures."

"You're going to have a very irate teenager if you don't can it," she grumbled with a hint of playfulness.

"Fine, fine," he chuckled.

The teenager rolled her eyes as she came to a stop at the end of the road. She took the opportunity to reach under her seat, grab a pair of black sunglasses studded with fake rhinestones, and slip them on over her eyes. Even in the early morning, the sun was very bright.

"Someone has become a little fashion icon," Ryan mused.

"People change," she reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah…"

She turned left and gradually picked up some speed. He watched her for a while, impressed with her driving skills. She drove like she had been driving for five years instead of one year.

"Someone taught you well," he said to break the silence.

"Dad taught me, then Mom taught me more after I returned home. I was ahead of everyone in my Driver's Ed class," she replied as she turned onto another road.

Ryan nodded and turned his head to look out the window. His thoughts retrogressed to seeing Zoey in the living room of her house after nearly three years. It almost felt like it had been ages ago when he had embraced her, awestruck by the woman she was becoming. She definitely wasn't the little girl that he remembered. She was turning out like her parents: she had her mother's beauty and her father's potential to do something good.

"How's school going?" he asked as he turned his attention back to her.

"Great. I'm in a variety of advanced classes, and I'm almost top of my class," she replied.

"Awesome. Any idea where you want to go for college or what you want to do after school?" he asked.

"Not yet for the college part. I have a few ideas in mind as to what I want to be, though," she said as she came to a stop light.

The CSI leaned back in his seat slightly. "Do I get to hear them?"

His companion smiled. "I'm thinking either a jewelry designer or a science teacher."

"Science teacher, huh? Haven't heard that one in a while," he mused.

"I love science. There are so many mysteries in this world… I want to be able to discover something, not to mention pass centuries of knowledge and findings on to the next generation," she sighed contently.

"I think that's an excellent goal. If you achieve that, I could come to you for help in future cases," he grinned.

Her smile turned into a grin. "That would be awesome. I love hearing about the cases you guys solve on the news."

"Really?"

"Really."

He smiled and turned his attention back to the window. After a few minutes, he realized something in the rearview mirror and frowned.

Zoey glanced over at him. "Ryan…?"

"Slow down a bit," he said curtly while slowly drawing his gun out of his belt.

The teen's eyes widened a little, but she did as she was told. She stole a quick glance in her rearview mirror and saw a large black motorcycle coming up behind them. The rider wore a huge helmet that concealed his face, but she noticed that he had long legs and was a bit podgy.

Suddenly, the rider zoomed to her side of the car and pulled something out of her oversized coat. Zoey screamed as the rider aimed a gun at her. Her hands were suddenly slick on the wheel and her heart was threatening to jump out of her ribcage.

"MOVE YOUR HEAD!" Ryan yelled as the rider pulled the trigger.

She moved her head as the bullet came flying towards her. The piece of ammunition hit her shoulder instead, causing her to gasp in pain and lose control of the wheel.

"ZOEY!" Ryan yelped as he grabbed the wheel.

He looked up in time to see the rider speeding off. Silently cursing, he quickly spun the wheel. The truck started spinning with screeching tires. He swerved around cars to avoid crashing. Zoey screamed again as the vehicle spun towards a row of parked cars outside a small convience store. Ryan tried to move the car in the opposite direction, but his hands slipped off the wheel and the car collided with a shiny black Mercedes Benz.

For a few moments, the CSI felt nothing but emptiness. His vision swam violently, and he groaned as a sharp pain started ringing in his skull. He blinked several times and groaned again when the sharp morning light pierced his eyes. He sat up straight and looked around in the truck. The windshield had been shattered, as well as Zoey's window.

_Zoey…!_

He immediately turned to her, wincing as the sharp pain jabbed his head. His eyes widened in horror. The teenager was slumped over in her seat with her dark hair covering her face and shoulder. However, he could see that her shoulder was bleeding heavily. The bullet must have made its way in deep and out, because as he looked closer, he could see blood on her back and on the seat.

"Zoey!" Ryan leaned over and shook her exposed shoulder desperately. "ZOEY!"

She gave no response. He leaned closer and put his ear by her mouth. Her breathing was slow, which meant that she was losing more and more blood. Panicking, the CSI dug out his cell phone and dialed 911, then got to work on stopping the blood flowing out of Zoey's body.

**-XxXxX-**

Sergeant Frank Tripp sighed as he drove down the interstate. It was turning out like every other morning in Miami: slow and dull. Things usually didn't pick up until later. Sure, there were the occasional calls of robberies or hostages being held at gunpoint, but that's what they were- rare occasions. Unfortunately for Frank on this particular day, it wasn't either issue. The call he had received had been from a convience store owner, claiming that a blue truck had come spinning out of nowhere and had crashed into his car, which in turn had bumped against a shopper's car. The result had been like knocking a set of dominoes over.

"Reckless drunkards," Frank muttered.

He turned left and saw that what morning traffic was there had begun to slow down. He sat up straighter and tried to look past the minivan in front of him; it was practically impossible. With a frustrated groan, he leaned back and slid a hand off of the wheel. Fortunately, the cars began to move along after a few minutes. When the sergeant got a little farther along, he saw what had been holding things up: cops were directing traffic away from the convience store that he was supposed to check out. With a sigh, he pulled off to the side and parked after showing one of the cops his badge.

Upon getting out of his car, Frank surveyed his new surroundings. It was a small area, with dry roads and lots of grass apart from the parking lot. The store seemed to be conviently placed for incoming tourists. The thought made him chuckle for some odd reasons before he walked over to the parking lot entrance. A young man immediately approached the sergeant and introduced himself as Mr. Gary Anthers, the owner of the store. He was a tall man with an average build. He wore blue jeans, faded white sneakers, and a short-sleeved grey button-up shirt. He had fair auburn hair that curled slightly around his ears. The one thing Frank noticed, however, was Gary's eyes. They were a deep shade of blue, but they were so blue that it seemed like they could look through a person's soul and make them feel exposed. Frank, however, had not gotten to be sergeant by letting people intimidate him, so he simply stood his ground and made eye contact as Mr. Anthers put his hands on his hips.

"About time that the cops showed up. I've been waiting forever," the owner hissed.

Frank stayed put- he was used to cranky people in the morning. "What happened exactly, Mr. Anthers?"

"I don't know, exactly! All right, I was coming out to get something from my car and that truck came out of nowhere and smashed into it! Then my car got knocked into the car next to mine, and then that car smacked into the one next to it…" Gary threw his hands up in the air exasperatedly. "You do the math, man."

"I'm trying to help, so I suggest that you cool off a bit," Frank said sharply.

The young man rolled his eyes. Frank sighed heavily, trying to keep calm. "Is the driver all right?"

"I don't know. The car and the paramedics are still over there," Mr. Anthers said with a wave of his hand.

"All right. Stay here," Frank said as he started walking away.

He paused when he got a good look at the damage. From the looks of it, the bumper of the truck had hit the Mercedes before the rest of the car had. The left side of the truck was dented pretty badly, and the windshield was broken. He then noticed that the driver's window had been shattered as well, and there was blood on the driver's seat. Before he could ponder further about it, he heard a voice off to the side.

"Frank?"

Surprised, the sergeant turned his head. "Ryan?"

Sure enough, the young CSI was leaning against a trashcan. Frank did a double-take upon getting a good look at his friend. Ryan had several cuts and bruises on his youthful face, and he was holding his left arm gingerly. His right shoulder was slightly exposed due to the tear in his shirt, and his brown hair was fairly disheveled.

"What happened to you?" Frank asked as he came closer.

Ryan gestured to the blue truck. "I was in the accident…"

Frank was stunned. "You drive a blue truck?"

He was even more surprised when Ryan's face became very stone-like. "No… someone close to me does…"

The sergeant was about to respond when a couple of paramedics walked over. One of them, a red-haired woman, cleared her throat. "Mr. Wolfe, your daughter is patched up for right now. We'll take her to Dr. Woods about the bullet wound."

"She's not my daughter… but thank you," Ryan said quietly.

Frank waited until the paramedics were out of hearing range before turning to the CSI again. "Daughter? Bullet wound? Ryan, what the hell is going on here?"

Ryan grimaced and sat down, leaning against the trashcan for support. "Her name is Zoey. Zoey Stevens. I know- well, knew- her mother, Tanya."

"Knew…?"

"Horatio called this morning, saying that we had a homicide. When he told me the address… I froze up. And when I got there…" Ryan shook his head in disbelief. "Tanya was lying in a pool of blood… gone. Dead."

"What does this have to do with the accident?" the sergeant asked, feeling a pang of sympathy for the CSI.

"We had to take Zoey back to the station for questioning. I went with her in her car while H went ahead of us. After a while, I noticed that a motorcycle had been following us for a bit.. I told Zoey to slow down while I pulled my gun out. Then the bastard zoomed to her side of the car, pulled out a gun, and shot at her. I yelled for her to move her head and the bullet hit her shoulder with so much force that it exited her back. She let go of the wheel. I tried to take over, but my hands slipped and we crashed into the Mercedes," Ryan said shakily.

The sergeant could not believe the CSI's current state. He couldn't think of a time when he hadn't seen Ryan being brash, confident, and wearing his infectious grin. Right now, however… he looked a bit scared. Vulnerable, even. It wasn't normal.

"All right… let me call Horatio. Then we'll get you to the hospital," Frank finally said.

The CSI nodded and closed his eyes. Frank turned away and got his phone out of his jacket pocket. He hit the speed-dial and waited as the phone rang.

"_This is Lieutenant Caine," _Horatio answered.

"Horatio, we have a problem. I'm out here at a car crash… it was Ryan and the Stevens girl," Frank said.

Horatio drew in a sharp breath. _"So that's why they aren't here… Frank, are they seriously injured?"_

"Ryan seems to be okay… cuts and bruises. The paramedics took the girl to the hospital, though. She was driving, and Ryan said that a motorcyclist came up and shot her," Frank summarized.

"_I'll be at the hospital in five minutes. Bring Mr. Wolfe," _the lieutenant said.

"Will do," the sergeant said before hanging up.

He turned back to Ryan, who had managed to pull himself back up. "Horatio said that he'll be at the hospital in five minutes."

"Okay… Let's go," the CSI murmured as he hobbled over to Frank's car.

"You sure you're okay, Wolfe? You seem a bit out of it," the sergeant noted as he got into the driver's seat.

Ryan sighed heavily as he buckled his seatbelt. "I… I keep thinking about Zoey. How that motorcyclist just drove up and just… shot at her. Why her? Why a seventeen-year-old girl with so much going for her? It makes no sense."

Frank didn't answer. He didn't know how he could answer. He could only imagine the possible answers rolling through Ryan's brain. Regardless, he could feel the CSI practically radiating concern. He cared for Tanya's daughter, almost like she was his own.

Things were definitely picking up for the sergeant sooner than he thought.

**3,325 words, not including the author notes. Hoooolllyyyyy crap. YAY, progress. I'm gonna get started on typing the next edited chapter, so expect that pretty soon. Laterz!**


	3. Hospital

**Yay, two chapters in one day! I feel accomplished c: not much to say here, enjoy the edited chapter!**

_Chapter Two_

Although the ride to the hospital took less than twenty minutes, it felt like a million years to Ryan. He kept his gaze focused on the window, waiting for the hospital to come into view. Frank glanced over at him every now and then as he eased his way through the traffic. Neither of them said a word to each other. There was no need for conversation at the moment.

As soon as they pulled into the parking lot, Ryan emitted a quivery sigh. Frank parked the car, and Ryan nearly threw out of it. He just about stumbled over onto the pavement. Luckily, Frank came over and helped him steady himself.

"Maybe we should get you checked out," Frank said.

Ryan put his hands on his knees. "Nah... I'm fine. Just anxious."

The sergeant sighed. "If you so..."

The CSI was about to comment when he noticed Horatio standing near the hospital entrance. The lieutenant put his hands on his hips and shifted his weight as Ryan and Frank walked over. "Gentlemen."

"Horatio," Frank nodded.

Ryan didn't answer. He was too busy staring at the open door of the hospital. Through the crowd of doctors and nurses, he saw a familiar face: one with black tied back in a tight ponytail, dark skin, almond-shaped brown eyes, and full red lips.

"Alexx!" he called as he jogged through the door.

Alexx Woods looked up from the clipboard and smiled as she slid a pen behind her ear. "Hi, Ryan."

"Did you get her?" Ryan asked as Horatio and Frank caught up with him.

"I just finished removing the bullet. Your girl is fine," Alexx said.

Ryan put a hand to his chest and muttered a quick "Thank God". Alexx looked at him quizzically. "Care to fill me in on who she is and what happened?"

As Ryan recounted the events that had occurred, Horatio watched him closely. The brown-haired CSI spoke with his regular level of enthusiasm, but his words came out a bit slow and slurred. His gaze also appeared to be slightly unfocused. Horatio glanced at Alexx to see if she had noticed. When she caught his expression, he shifted his eyes towards Ryan.

"Ryan... are you all right?" Alexx asked, having figured out Horatio's expression.

"I'm fine... just anxious," Ryan mumbled.

Alexx's tone became motherly. "I'm going to have to check you out. You look and sound disoriented."

"Fine," Ryan said, "But I want to see Zoey first."

"Let me see if she's up to it. Take a seat, and I'll be right back," Alexx said as she turned on her heel and walked off.

Ryan collapsed into the closest available chair. He buried his face in his hands and emitted a long and shaky sigh. Horatio and Frank looked at each other, but neither of them said a word. There wasn't anything that could be said.

After a few minutes, Alexx came back and smiled. "She's ready. Follow me."

Ryan stood up abruptly, nearly knocking the chair over in the process. He quickly turned around and grabbed hold of it, setting it upright with a noticeable blush on his face. Alexx chuckled as she led the gentlemen over to the elevator.

"Another reason to examine you," she smiled.

"Hey, anyone could have done that," Ryan grumbled.

The doctor simply shook her head at his defense as she pushed the button for the fifth floor. Ryan kept his gaze on the floor while Horatio and Frank watched him. He fidgeted with his gun the entire time, when he wasn't running a hand through his brown hair. He also started tapping his foot against the floor. It started off as a steady beat, but it gradually increased to spontaneous tapping. Alexx sighed quietly as she listened.

After another eternity, the elevator stopped and the door opened. Alexx stepped out first and led her friends down the hallway to a room closest to the vending machines. Ryan looked through the glass to see Zoey resting comfortably on a hospital bed, holding a cell phone up to her ear. She was moving her free hand as she talked, and her expression indicated that she was either worried or stressed. When she looked up and saw Ryan, however, a grin broke out on her face. She quickly turned her attention back to the phone and finished her conversation as Alexx let the others into the room.

"Zoey," Ryan sighed with relief as he walked over and bent down to hug her.

"Ryan," she smiled before her face was buried in the nape of his neck.

Horatio waited until they were done before smiling at the young woman. "Miss Stevens."

Zoey's eyes sparkled as she nodded in acknowledgement. "Hi, Lieutenant."

"Zoey, this is Sergeant Frank Tripp. He works with us," Ryan said as he gestured to the third man.

The teenager lifted a hand and waved a little. "Hi."

Frank smiled slightly. "So you're Zoey... huh. Didn't expect you to be so tiny."

She blushed a bit. Alexx chuckled softly as she walked over to the bed. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"...Hungry," Zoey admitted as her stomach growled.

Ryan coughed into his sleeve, trying to hide his laughter. Alexx smiled. "All right... let me see what I can bring up."

She saw the teenager make a face and chuckled again. "Don't worry. I can make it an apple or something."

Zoey's eyes lit up. "Can it be a pear? I loves pears."

"Sure. Give me a minute," Alexx said before she stepped out of the room.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Ryan cast an amused glance at Zoey. "...Pears, huh? I never knew that."

She shrugged. "I actually like any fruit in general, but lately I've acquired a special taste for pears."

Ryan gave a noncommittal "Hmm" in response as he looked around the room. It was a bit roomier than other hospital rooms. The walls were white, as were the sheets that covered Zoey's bed. The floor was simple, light-colored tile. The TV was tiny and currently on mute.

"Miss Stevens," Horatio said quietly.

She blushed again. "Please... call me Zoey. Miss Stevens is what people used to call my mom."

"All right... Zoey. I need to ask you some questions about the accident," he said gently.

The teenager nodded. "Of course..."

"Can you tell me your side of the story?" he asked.

"Um, okay... we were driving along the road... Ryan was asking me about stuff, like about school and my social life. All of a sudden, he got real quiet. I asked him what was wrong, and he told me to slow down as he pulled his gun out. Then I saw this guy on a motorcycle in my rearview mirror. Then he zoomed to my side of the car, pulled out a gun, and shot at me. Ryan told me to move my head, and my shoulder got hit by the bullet. It hit me so hard that I felt it exit through my back. I felt nothing but pain, and I let go of the wheel. Ryan tried to take over once the guy sped off, but he let go as well and we crashed," Zoey recountered.

Horatio nodded. "Okay... you said it was a guy on the motorcycle... can you describe him or the motorcycle for me?"

"I couldn't get a good look at his face because he was wearing a huge helmet, but I noticed that he had long legs and was on the podgy side. I think he was wearing torn black jeans, cowboy boots, and a Harley Davidson jacket," she said thoughtfully.

"What about the motorcycle?" Frank asked.

The teenager grimaced as she rubbed her temple. "Um... I think it was black with silver handles. I don't think I saw a license plate or anything distinctive. I was too freaked out by the gun..."

"Hey, it's okay," Ryan said as he brushed her bangs back. "It's a start."

She nodded slowly. "I think I remember something else, though... about the gun. It looked like a .38 revolver... but there was something strange about it."

"Strange how?" Horatio asked.

"It didn't make any noise when he pulled the trigger... there was a silence on it," she replied.

Frank blinked. "How would you know?"

"My father used to have one for his nine-mil," she replied.

"Zoey has a good eye for detail," Ryan said approvingly. "She told me that she might want to do something in science after high school."

The teenager blushed again. "Ryan..."

"Whoops. Am I embarrassing you? My bad," he grinned.

Horatio and Frank smiled a bit as Zoey shot Ryan a Look, followed by a teasing grin. The CSI countered with a grin of his own and ruffled her hair before he stood up. She emitted an odd sound, kind of like a mouse squeak, just as Alexx came back into the room.

"Hey, be careful with her," Alexx said as she handed the teenager a small bowl with two pears in it.

"Yeah, Ryan," Zoey teased as she picked up a pear and bit into it.

"Oh, you're cute," the CSI shot back with another grin.

Alexx rolled her eyes at their banter before turning her full attention to Zoey. "I was getting your pears and a gentleman came in, asking about you... a Mr. Patrick Sheldon?"

"Oh, Patrick. He's the one who handles Mom and Dad's stuff, like their wills and such. In fact, he's the one I was on the phone with... he called because he stopped by the house and saw all the chaos that was going on. He wanted to know what happened, so I told him to come here," she said.

Alexx nodded. "All right. Hold on one second."

She walked over to the door and poked her head out. A few seconds later, she stepped back and a man walked in. He was kind of short, on the heavy side, and had a bit of facial hair. His attire indicated that he was all business. When he saw Zoey, he set his suitcase and went over to her.

"Oh la la, Zoey... j'étais très inquiet quand je t'ai téléphoné... je suis content que tu sois d'accord," he sighed as he hugged her.

Zoey laughed at the blank expression on Ryan's face. "Anglais, Patrick. Anglais."

"Hmm? Oh... oops," he said once he saw Ryan and the others.

Ryan held his badge up. "Miami-Dade PD. And you are Patrick Sheldon?"

The man nodded and bowed formally. "Yes. I am a long-time friend of Miss Tanya. I have been handling very important papers for the family since Zoey was a child. I have heard many things about you, Mr. Wolfe."

Ryan nodded nervously. Then he glanced at Zoey. "I didn't know you could speak French."

Zoey giggled. "Patrick was with me and my father when we were in France. He home-schooled me and taught me French."

Patrick shifted a bit and cleared his throat. "But enough about that... Zoey, what's happened?"

"Tanya was killed this morning, and Zoey and Mr. Wolfe were in an accident not too long afterward," Horatio said as Zoey opened her mouth.

Patrick's eyes widened. "Oh my God... Zoey..."

"I'm fine, Patrick," the teenager said before smiling at Ryan and Alexx. "Ryan and Dr. Woods have been very good to me."

Alexx smiled. "It's all part of the job, sweetheart. It's really thanks to Ryan being there to save you."

Ryan blushed and scratched his head sheepishly. Zoey smiled before leaning against her pillow. She reached for her pear again and bit into it. As she chewed, her face took on a thoughtful expression.

Suddenly, she frowned. "Hey, Patrick..."

Everyone looked at her upon hearing her change in tone. Patrick frowned as well. "Yes, Zoey?"

"Since Mom is... gone... what's going to happen to me?" she whispered.

"Ahh..." Patrick scratched his head nervously. "Oh, Zoey... there is something I have to share with you..."

The teenager blinked. "What is it...?"

"Your... your mother called me last week. She wanted to talk about... the possibility of anything happening to her anytime soon..." Patrick grimaced and paused for a few seconds. "She said... that if anything were to happen to her, I was to talk to an old friend of hers and try to persuade them to adopt you."

A cold calm came over Zoey's heart. She had a feeling that she knew the answer to the question before it popped out of her mouth. "A...And... that friend is...?"

Patrick sighed and turned to Ryan. "Mr. Wolfe."

Ryan's eyes widened. "What...? Me...?"

"Yes, you. She knew that you've adored Zoey since she was young, and figured that you would be able to take care of her so she wouldn't go into foster care," Patrick said.

Ryan blinked. To say that he was shocked would be an understatement. He would have never expected Tanya to do something like this, considering that their friendship had pretty much shattered when they'd had their big argument the previous year. Now here was the guy who managed her papers, telling him that Tanya had still trusted him enough to say that he would take care of her little girl.

_Although it's true... I would take care of Zoey,_ the CSI thought absently.

"Ryan...?"

The teenager's voice snapped him back to reality. He looked at her and was surprised to find her looking a bit disappointed. "Zoey...?"

"I understand if you don't want to take me... I mean, your job keeps you pretty busy... I could probably handle foster care," she whispered as two lone tears slid down her cheeks.

"Oh, Zoey... don't say that," he said as he bent over to hug her again. "I would love to adopt you..."

Her eyes were shining like a pair of sapphires when he pulled back. "Really...?"

"Of course... but I assume that there are complications," he said as he looked at Patrick.

The shorter man nodded. "There are a few things. I am sure that Zoey knows the first two."

Ryan turned his attention back to the teenager, who was nodding. "Well...?"

"My two pets, Starlight and Ozzie. Oz is a ferret and Starlight is a golden retriever puppy," she said.

The CSI couldn't help but wince. He had never been good with dogs. He remembered one case where the victim's dog had practically chased him off of the property. He also remembered another case where a suspect had been handling a vicious dog before he tried to escape.

"What's the other one?" he asked weakly.

"My sister, Layla. She is six years old and one of the most precious angels is on Earth," Zoey replied.

Ryan bit his lip. "Layla... auburn hair, brown eyes, tiny little thing?"

She nodded. "She's gotten bigger since the last time you saw her, though... anyway, if you take me in, you have to take her in as well. Mom wouldn't have wanted us separated with... stuff that's been going on..."

She immediately shut up and bit her lip. Ryan frowned, but decided not to push it. "All right. I can do that. Is there anything else?"

The teenager turned to Patrick. The shorter man cleared his throat again. "There is the possibility of Zoey and Layla having family elsewhere. I intend to dig further into it, but for the time being, Mr. Wolfe, the two will live with you."

Ryan smiled. "Thank you."

"Here is my card, in case anything should come up. And, Zoey-" his gaze turned to her- "Tu dois d'être prudente."

Zoey nodded. "Je serai, Patrick. Merci."

"Bon. Au revoir, gentlemen," he said as he bowed and turned to leave.

As soon as he was gone, Horatio turned to the teenager with curious eyes. "What did he tell you?"

"He told me to be careful. I told him that I will be," she replied.

The lieutenant nodded. For a few seconds, the room was quiet. Then Frank turned to Ryan and clapped him on the shoulder. "I never thought that you, of all people, would become a father. Congratulations."

Ryan nodded, almost like he was dazed. "It feels so weird... like this is a dream..."

Zoey giggled. Horatio opened his mouth to say something, but his cell phone proceeded to interrupt him. He took it out of the pocket of his jacket, flipped it open, and held it up to his ear. "Miss Boa Vista."

He listened for about half a minute. "Uh huh... all right, I'll be right there."

He closed the device and was met with questioning eyes. "Natalia is with Dr. Loman, examining the body. She said that there were several odd things that they found."

Zoey frowned. "Odd, how?"

"She said it would be better for me to see for myself, so I have to head back there. Frank, I will ride with you because Mr. Wolfe doesn't have any means of transportation," the lieutenant said.

The sergeant nodded. "Got it."

Horatio turned to Zoey and Ryan. "Mr. Wolfe, I will give you the rest of the day off to get everything settled. You have my permission to go back to the crime scene and get anything that Zoey or her sister may need, provided that it doesn't disturb the crime scene. I expect you to be back at the lab tomorrow."

"All right, H," Ryan said.

"Oh, Horatio. Here's the bullet from Zoey's shoulder," Alexx said as she handed a small plastic bag to him.

"Thank you, Alexx. Zoey, hang in there, okay?" Horatio asked.

The teenager smiled. "Okay."

With a brief smile, Horatio and Frank were gone.

**So not as many words as the last chapter… 2,913 words, not including the author notes. Oh well, the chapter has been updated and my life is complete. Now to finish the next chapter… xD**


	4. Veronica and Layla

**Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii guys! I have chapter three here c: I can honestly say that it took me forever XD anyway, here it is!**

**Disclaimer: I only own Zoey, Layla, Tanya, and Patrick. The CSI crew and any restaurants mentioned in this chapter do not belong to me.**

_Chapter Three_

"Will she be able to leave soon, Alexx?" Ryan asked.

The doctor looked through the glass at the teenager, who was resting comfortably on the hospital bed. "Hmm… she seems to be doing fine after having a bullet in her shoulder and being in a car crash…"

"You heard Horatio, Alexx. I only have the rest of today to get everything settled, and then I have to be back at the lab tomorrow. I don't want to have to deal with extra things tomorrow," Ryan pleaded.

Alexx pondered for a minute. Then she snapped her fingers. "I've got an idea. My shift is almost over. Why don't you wait a little while longer, and then I'll go with you two in case anything happens later on?"

The CSI grinned. "Sounds like a plan. I'll tell Zoey."

"All right. I have to check on some other patients, and then I'll be right back," the doctor smiled before she left with a swish of her coat.

Ryan grinned again and then walked back into Zoey's room. The teenager looked up from the bed and smiled her heart-warming smile. "So what's the verdict, Your Honor?"

He laughed. "Alexx is going to finish examining some other patients, and then she is going to join us in case anything happens."

"Cool. Because I'm starving for some actual food, and then I'm going to have to pick up Layla. The bus might not be able to get into the neighborhood from its usual entrance, since there is all that commotion going on," she explained.

Ryan nodded. "All right. So once Alexx joins us, we'll go to lunch. Then we'll get Layla and swing back by your house to get some stuff and my car."

The teenager smiled. "Sounds good to me."

"You might want to get changed so we can go when Alexx gets back," the CSI said as he nodded to her clothes on a chair.

"Good idea. Not to mention that I have to use the bathroom," she said as she got up and grabbed her clothes.

He chuckled as the bathroom door clicked shut and the knob indicated that the room was occupied. He stared at the door for a second or two before scratching his head and turning to the window. The sun was high in the sky at this point. It almost felt like a normal day… except it wasn't.

The CSI smiled wryly and shook his head. _And it's only… what, 12:30? Not bad for the morning…_

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a flushing toilet and Zoey opening the bathroom door. Her hair was in a ponytail, and she looked a little flushed. "Is Alexx back yet?"

"No. Why?" he asked.

"Well… there's a giant bullet hole in my sleeve… not to mention that the broken glass seems to have torn the top of my dress in… indecent places," she admitted while her cheeks blazed.

Ryan winced. "Ahh…"

"Yeeaahhh… I wanted to see if she had a jacket or something I could borrow," she said.

"Hmm… I think there's a gift shop on the main floor. I could go see if they have any t-shirts," he offered.

"Oh, you don't have to buy me one. I just need something temporarily," she said quickly.

The CSI opened his mouth to argue, but then the door opened and Alexx stepped back in. "I'm ready, but I see Zoey isn't."

"She wants to know if you have a jacket or something that she can borrow," Ryan said before Zoey could speak. "There's a bullet hole in her sleeve, and the glass from her car has torn the top of her dress in, and I quote… 'indecent places'."

The teenager blushed furiously. Alexx chuckled softly. "You can borrow my jacket. Let's go."

**-XxXxX-**

"Dr. Loman," Horatio greeted as he stepped into the morgue.

"Horatio," the medical examiner nodded as he looked up from Tanya Stevens's body.

Natalia Boa Vista also greeted the lieutenant with a nod and a smile. "Glad you could finally make it."

Horatio smiled briefly. "So what do you have for me?"

"Cause of death was blunt force trauma to head. I also found a through-and-through in her stomach and multiple stab wounds around the entrance of the bullet. This poor woman just bled out," Tom sighed.

"Were you able to figure out which occurred first?" the lieutenant questioned.

"Judging by the blood around the stab wounds, I'd say that those happened first," the medical examiner replied.

"So the killer gets the jump on Tanya and stabs her… when that isn't going fast enough, Tanya is shot…" Horatio looked thoughtful.

"And then she gets shoved against the counter. Calleigh said she found blood on the corner of the granite counter near where Tanya was discovered," Natalia said.

"Poor Zoey," the lieutenant mused softly.

Natalia looked at him. "So it's true? Ryan knows the victim and her daughter? And they were in an accident?"

Horatio nodded. "Yes. I gave Mr. Wolfe permission to take the rest of the day off. There's more to the story now."

Seeing their questioning faces, the lieutenant proceeded to tell them about Patrick Sheldon and Tanya's request for Ryan to adopt Zoey and Layla. Tom looked surprised once Horatio was finished. Natalia looked completely stunned.

"Wow… and Ryan agreed to take them?" she asked.

"Yes, although Mr. Sheldon said that it may be temporary. He plans to see if the girls have any remaining family," Horatio said.

"Well, this case has definitely started off with a bang," Tom finally said.

"Indeed. Let's show Horatio what else we found, shall we?" Natalia smiled.

"We shall. Hand me the magnifying glass, will you?" the medical examiner requested.

The light-haired CSI responded with the tool and another smile. Tom held it over the cuff of Tanya's sleeve. "Look closely, Horatio."

Horatio peered at the glass. Tucked into the blue cuff was a darker blue jewel. "Is that what I think it is…?"

"A sapphire," Natalia said quietly.

"But how did it get down there of all places?" Horatio mused.

"Tanya wasn't wearing any jewelry, so maybe it came from the killer?" Tom suggested.

"And that would give us the possibility of the killer being female," Natalia said.

Horatio nodded. "It's possible."

"All right. We also found multiple bruises on her back and arms that are inconsistent with the murder," Tom said as he lifted Tanya's body and exposed her back.

Horatio examined the bruises with concern. "They ARE recent, though…"

"And nasty," Natalia said with a little shudder.

"There's one more thing. Smell her shirt collar," Tom said as he held the shirt up.

Very carefully, Horatio leaned forward and smelled the collar. It didn't smell fragrant, like he expected. Instead, it smelled like a mixture of things. "I smell… paint, sweat… and is that… chlorine?"

Tom nodded. "Strange, isn't it?"

"Indeed… keep me posted, you two," Horatio said before he turned and walked out.

**-XxXxX-**

"And I said, 'Does she know that you got into her sister's pants?' The look on his face was priceless," Ryan chortled.

"Oh my Lord, Ryan," Zoey snickered. "You sound like a typical teenager boy."

Alexx chuckled. "That's our Ryan. He keeps us on our toes from time to time."

"Ehh. I try," the CSI said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Zoey giggled before taking a sip of her Dr. Pepper. Ryan had been entertaining her with random stories since they had picked up lunch at Subway. They had decided to go back to the house so Zoey could get a change of clothes and anything she and Layla needed. She was now wearing dark flared jeans, a red tank top, a grey jean jacket, and black converse. In the back of Ryan's car was a bag filled with more clothes and hygiene products for herself and Layla. They were now on their way to pick the little girl up.

"Oh, turn here, Alexx," she said as she pointed to a newly paved road.

Alexx obliged with a spin of the wheel. Within a few minutes, they parked close to the entrance of the preschool, daycare, and church. Zoey unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car while Alexx said something to Ryan. She was staring at the building when the two got out of the car a few minutes later.

"Something on your mind, sweetheart?" Alexx asked as she stood beside the teenager.

"Not really… I went here for preschool. This place is like a second home," she replied.

"I remember this place," Ryan smiled as he stood on the other side of Zoey. "I used to meet your mom here and we'd take you out for ice cream."

The teenager grinned. "I remember that. Best days EVER."

Alexx smiled. "Let's get to picking up Layla before you two get lost in the memories."

Zoey nodded and led the two adults to the front door. She pulled it open, and a small "ding" announced their arrival. The CSI and the doctor followed her into an attractive front office, with a secretary's office on the left and a row of chairs on the right. A little further past the room were two hallways that veered left and right. The place had a pleasant smell of roses and various foods.

Seated in the exposed secretary's office was a jolly elderly woman, with grey hair and hazel eyes. "Goodness, Zoey! You're awful early today."

"Hello, Miss Williams. This is Alexx Woods, and you remember Ryan Wolfe," Zoey introduced.

Ryan waved slightly. Alexx smiled. Bonnie Williams smiled in return. "Layla is in room seven today. Be careful, though. I think they were finger painting today."

"Oh Lord," Zoey sighed as she headed down the left hallway.

Alexx looked amused. "Finger painting, hmm?"

"Layla loves finger painting. The last time she did finger painting, however, a pair of pants got ruined. Mom spent hours trying to clean them before she gave up," the teenager as she stopped outside of room seven.

Ryan chuckled as she opened the door and stepped inside. He remembered that day quite well. He and Tanya had planned to have drinks that evening. When he had arrived, Zoey had been in the bathroom cleaning Layla off while Tanya complained from the laundry room about the paint. He had never seen her so frustrated.

"ZOEEEEYYYYY!"

A delighted squeal brought his focus back to the room. He watched as a small girl with beautiful auburn hair and brown eyes ran over and threw her arms around Zoey's legs. She had a big paint-splattered shirt over a green blouse and a blue skirt. Her feet were bare and had a bit of yellow paint on them.

"Hey, kiddo," the teenager smiled as she knelt to her height and hugged the girl back.

She smiled again once Layla had let go of her legs. "Do you remember Uncle Ryan?"

Layla looked at Ryan curiously. After a moment, recognition spread over her face. "Yeah, I do."

Ryan also smiled and knelt down to Layla's height. "Hi, Layla. You've gotten bigger since I last saw you."

The girl giggled. "I was really little."

"Yes, you were." Ryan stood up straight, as did Zoey. "Do you need to get anything?"

"I need my jacket and my wunch… lunch… box," Layla said.

"I'll get it. Wait a second," Zoey said as she walked to the back of the room, minding the other kids who were still painting.

Layla watched her sister before she turned to Ryan. "Mommy will be happy to see you. She misses you."

A pang of guilt pierced the CSI's heart. He looked at the girl's angelic face, shining with innocence and obliviousness. He managed a nod and a weak smile before Zoey came over with Layla's jacket and lunch box. Alexx offered to take the lunchbox while Zoey helped Layla put her jacket on. Then Layla reached eagerly for her lunchbox and accepted it with a smile. Zoey was about to lead the way back to the front office when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Well, well, well… look who decided to skip school and send her sister to daycare."

Zoey turned around, forcing a smile. "You're one to talk to about skipping school, Veronica."

Veronica Zimmerman glared at the brunette. "At least I can afford to skip school."

"Yeah, because your father is the principal," Zoey tossed back with a flash of anger in her eyes.

Ryan had never seen Zoey get so angry so quickly before. He stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Zoey…"

She shrugged his hand off. Veronica watched with sparked interest. "And who is this… gorgeous hunk?"

Ryan's cheeks flushed uncomfortably. Zoey gritted her teeth. "This is a family friend, who already has a girlfriend."

Ryan blinked. "I do…?"

"Yes, you do. You were just telling me about her," Zoey said while still glaring at Veronica.

Alexx coughed into her sleeve. Ryan glanced at her, thoroughly confused. She shot him a Look that said "Go along with it". He blinked again, and then his eyes widened as he suddenly understood the sudden change in direction.

He turned back to Veronica and cleared his throat. "Um… yes. I am a friend of Zoey's family, and I have a girlfriend."

"Too bad," Veronica purred with a huge smile. "My family and I could give you so much more."

Secretly, the CSI did not doubt it. With her blonde hair, blue eyes, and choice of designer wear, the girl reeked of money. "Uhm…"

"Shove off, Veronica. He's a cop," Zoey growled.

Veronica's eyes widened. "A cop, hmm? Even better…"

She glanced at her watch and emitted a small "Oh!" of fake surprise. "Oh, but the time! I must be off. Farewell, everyone!"

She gave Ryan another huge smile and shoved Zoey's shoulder with her own before she disappeared down the hallway. Zoey waited until she was out of sight before emitting an "OOOOHHHHHHH!" of frustration. "I… hate her… so much!"

Ryan's confusion surfaced again. "Who was that?"

"Veronica Zimmerman. The biggest backstabber of an ex-best friend if I ever saw one. She's made school hell for me sometimes, and she gets away with it because her father is the principal and he won't believe that his 'little angel' is actually a demon spawn," Zoey fumed as she stormed towards the front office.

Layla tugged on Ryan's hand. Her face was one with worry as the CSI looked at her. "We may want to make her feel better, or she'll take it out on someone or something."

Ryan nodded and went after the infuriated teenager, leaving Alexx to bring Layla. Zoey was still fuming when the CSI caught up with her outside the preschool. Her arms were crossed, and the expression on her face was ugly and scary. Ryan winced, but took a deep breath and stood in front of her.

"Hey… relax, okay? It was nice of you to 'defend' me. I appreciate it," he said as he tilted her chin up with his index finger.

Her eyes met his hesitantly. "I know you could've handled it yourself… my temper just got in the way. I'm sorry."

"Hey, you don't have to apologize. You still have that caring and defensive side that I love about you," he smiled as he pulled her into a hug.

A grin slowly found itself onto her face. "Thanks, Ryan. You're the best."

He chuckled as Alexx and Layla walked up. "I know."

"You okay, sweetheart?" Alexx asked as Layla hugged her sister.

Zoey smiled. "I'm okay…"

Alexx gave Ryan a knowing glance and a smile as the four walked back to the car. Layla's eyes widened as they landed on the Hummer. "Whoa…"

Zoey chuckled slightly. "Isn't it cool?"

"Yes! Zoey, will you sit with me?" Layla asked.

"Of course, sweetie," Zoey smiled as she helped the little one into the car.

Ryan and Alexx smiled as they buckled themselves in. Zoey tightened Layla's seatbelt and then fastened her own, flashing a grin towards Ryan when she finished. Ryan gave Alexx the go-ahead. The doctor smiled and began backing out of the parking lot, not noticing the person watching the group as they drove off…

**-XxXxX-**

"Sir… I regret to inform you that Zoey still lives… the CSI was with her and managed to keep her alive until the paramedics came," a voice said.

The one called "Sir" growled. "That child has nine lives, I swear… we will have to lay low for a while. She and her new guardian will be on edge. Then we will initiate Plan B."

"Very well, Sir," the voice said as it faded away into the darkness.

"Sir" smirked and rubbed his hands. "Tanya did her best to conceal you, Zoey… but with her out of the picture, I shall have what is rightfully mine… as soon as I deal with you and your sister, that is…"

Like the voice before him, he disappeared into the shadows.

**-XxXxX-**

"Are you sure that you can't stay for dinner, Alexx?" Ryan asked later that night.

Alexx shook her head and smiled softly. "I can't. I have two children of my own to get back to. I'm just a phone call away though, so if ANYTHING happens, call me."

"We will. You should go before it gets any darker," Zoey said.

Alexx nodded and headed out to her car. She waved before she got into the driver's seat, started the car, and backed out of the driveway. Ryan and Zoey watched and waved until the doctor disappeared from view. Then Zoey stepped inside with Ryan behind her.

"Alexx is pretty cool, hmm?" the CSI asked as he joined Zoey at the fridge.

"She's amazing. You're lucky to have a doctor like her for a friend," the teenager replied as she glanced around the fridge for something to make for dinner.

"She used to be the Medical Examiner where I work. And believe me, she did not want to be friends when I first joined the team," Ryan said.

Zoey blinked as she pulled stuff out for soup. "Why?"

"Well, I joined the team after they lost a fellow member. His name was Tim Speedle, and he was shot on the job. Everyone except Horatio felt like I was replacing Tim, so they didn't take too kindly to me at first," Ryan said as Zoey put some water on to boil.

"But you weren't… that's stupid," Zoey said.

"Well, the team was very closely knit. To lose a beloved member and then have someone fill his place was going to take some getting used to," Ryan sighed.

"Did they mistreat you?" Zoey asked as she threw some vegetables into the water.

"Not necessarily… they made me do some pretty gruesome stuff during cases. Calleigh wasn't outwardly rude to me, but Eric didn't mask his annoyance. Natalia and Walter weren't part of the team back then," Ryan replied.

"What about now?" Zoey asked.

"We're all close. We're one big family," Ryan smiled.

"That's good. Where do you keep your spices?" Zoey asked.

Ryan pointed to a cupboard. Zoey went over to it, got some spices out, and tossed them into the soup. She went back to the fridge and got some leftover chicken out, as well as chicken brother and rice. She tossed everything in, stirred, and then put a lid on it.

"Did your mom teach you how to cook?" Ryan asked.

"Sort of. My grandma taught me a bit and I watch a variety of cooking shows," Zoey replied as she watched the soup.

"I'd say you're ready whenever you move out into the big world," Ryan smiled.

The teenager smiled. "Whenever, indeed. I don't want to move out for a while. I just got here."

"And you're welcome to stay as long as you want, sweetheart," the CSI said.

She blushed. "Please tell Layla to wash up for dinner."

Ryan saluted him. "Yes, Ma'am."

He heard her chuckle as he left the kitchen. He went to the living room and found Layla watching TV. "Hey, kiddo. Your sister says to wash up for dinner."

She nodded and stood up. "Can you take me to the bathroom?"

"Sure. It's over here," Ryan said as he took her hand and led her down the hallway.

The bathroom was simple, with a wooden floor and beige-colored walls, but Layla was intrigued nonetheless. "Ooh… it's very pretty."

Ryan laughed. "Thank you. Here, I'll grab a chair you can stand on."

He fetched a chair from the nearest room and placed it in front of the sink. He helped Layla onto and turned the water on for her. She washed her hands thoroughly and splashed a little water onto her face before using a fluffy red towel to dry herself. Then she turned to Ryan and smiled.

"Your turn!" she smiled.

Ryan chuckled and did as he was told. Then he let Layla dry his hands and his face for him. It was too cute. When they were finished, the CSI picked the little one up and carried her to the kitchen. She giggled and clung to him, making him blush. Zoey emitted a soft "Aww" when she saw them. "That's so cute."

"Your sister is cute. Let's eat," Ryan said as he put Layla down.

Zoey smiled and brought three bowls of warm soup to the table. The family sat down and began to enjoy the meal.

"Wow, Zoey. This is good," Ryan said.

"Thank you. Wait until I make something more extravagant," the teenager replied.

"Soup!" Layla exclaimed as she stuffed her spoon into her mouth.

Zoey and Ryan laughed. Dinner proceeded smoothly, with Ryan talking about his co-workers and Zoey talking about her time in France. Layla proved to be entertaining with random acts and sentences in the middle of conversations. Before they knew it, everyone'd had their fill and the dishes were cleared away.

"Okay. I'm going to brush my teeth and change. I assume Layla is going to bed," Ryan said as Zoey picked the child up.

"Indeed," she said as she headed for the stairs.

Ryan smiled and waited until they had gone into Layla's room before heading up to his bathroom. He scrubbed his teeth and washed his face again before going into his closet and changing into a fitted grey shirt and grey sweatpants. He ran his hand through his hair went to check on the girls, who were reading a short version of "Cinderella". He stood in the doorway and listened as Zoey read the story. Layla was fixated on the book, as was Zoey.

"And they lived happily ever after. The end," Zoey finished as she closed the book.

Layla was slowly falling asleep. Zoey kissed her forehead, whispered "Goodnight", and got up to leave. She nearly jumped when she found Ryan in the doorway, but he put his finger to his lips. She tiptoed out and smiled at him. "Hi."

He chuckled. "I used to read that book to you. You loved it."

She nodded. "I remember."

"Want to join me outside for a minute? The stars are out," he said.

"I'm going to change first." she replied.

He nodded. "Okay. Just take the door out of the living room when you're done."

She nodded and padded off to her bedroom. He turned around and headed towards the stairs. Once downstairs, he made for the living room and went out the back door. He was greeted by a clear dark sky and bright stars popping up everywhere.

_What a day… who would've thought that I'd be reunited with Zoey and Layla? Of course, that brings me back to Tanya... I still can't believe that she's gone, _the CSI thought.

He glanced towards the sky. _I promise you, Tanya… I'll take good care of the girls. I won't let you down._

Suddenly, the back door opened. Ryan turned around. "There you are, Zo-"

He trailed off. Zoey was elegantly framed in the doorway. She had taken the ponytail out, so her dark hair was framed around her face and resting on her shoulders. She was wearing a dark blue nightgown that reached her knees and was accented with white ruffles on the bottom and the ends of the sleeves. The fabric was silk, and the color matched the dark blue of her eyes.

"… I hope your boyfriend hasn't seen you in that," he said as he regained his composure.

Zoey giggled. "Don't worry. He hasn't."

"Good. Otherwise I'd have to ask what you two were up to," he said with a raise of his eyebrows.

"Ryan!" Zoey sounded shocked. "I would never…"

"Good… that should be saved for when you're older," he said sternly as she joined him.

She arched a brow. "I didn't know you believed in that."

He winced. "Well… there's not enough of it in the world. I see it all the time with cases."

"Hmm…" was all Zoey said in response.

Ryan followed her gaze up to the sky. It was a perfect mix of dark blue and black, studded with thousands of tiny stars. The moon could be seen clearly. He had to admit, it was beautiful.

"This is amazing," Zoey breathed as she nestled into Ryan's side.

"It sure is," Ryan agreed as he wrapped his arm around her and hugged her.

"Father and daughter" stood there and watched the sky for what seemed like forever. Then Zoey yawned. "I should go to bed…"

"Me too," Ryan said before yawning.

Zoey smiled. Before Ryan could do anything, she reached up and kissed him on the cheek. Then she wrapped her arms around him and whispered two words that made his heart melt:

"Goodnight… Dad…"

Then she went inside. Ryan remained frozen for a few seconds before his hand reached up and touched his cheek. Then, although no one could see it, a grin stretched across the CSI's face.

He slept very contently that night.

**Awwwwww! C'mon, you had to admit that was cute. I really don't have much to say, other than there's a possibility of Tanya's killer being female, Zoey's ex-best friend is rich, there's someone who wants Zoey and Layla out of the way, and Zoey and Layla seem quite content in their new surroundings. What will happen next?**


End file.
